Let's Talk Gifts

[HelgaHuffle]

I've already been worrying about birthday and holiday gifts for months. What are you planning to get your LOs? Feel free to include your plans for toddlers/preschoolers too.

I feel like we have all the one year old stuff already. Help!

[obscurereference]

I bought the Fisher Price laugh and learn play house on prime day and that will probably be her only birthday present along with a book.

I haven't thought about Christmas. What I usually do is walk around Toys R Us and look for things that are different than what we already have. Or Target or wherever else. Sometimes things jump out immediately like one kid would REALLY love that but sometimes something looks really cool but I nix it because we already have 5 similar things at home. This happens a lot with building blocks. We just have so many different kinds.

Can't go wrong with books and clothes. I also love getting the Highlights magazine for babies subscription.

[expatmama11]

Not sure on Christmas but for birthday I am buying Cam a Radio Flyer foldable wagon. I may get him a few other things just to let him have fun ripping paper but the wagon is expensive so I don't want to go too crazy.

[gdaisy09]

WE're not planning to go too big this year. 1 Birthday gift (plus all the cute little birthday party fixings) and then Christmas will probably be 1-2 toys (less than $30), perhaps 1 gear-type item (I'm thinking maybe a bike seat or trailer), and books (grandma will be all over clothes). We'll probably make a substantial contribution to her 529 account.

[geners]

We will probably do one "bigger" gift for each (birthday and Christmas), and then a couple books and outfits.

MH and I also talked about the Highlights subscription obscurereference mentioned. We did the bigger kid version for my nephew last year and he loved it.

[obscurereference]

geners I highly recommend the young version of Highlights. They are nearly indestructible. DS likes to have a couple books in his bed, but he destroys board books. We only put the highlights in with him now and after two kids, we have enough to rotate them for him which he likes. The baby is already enjoying flapping them around and trying to figure out how to open them.

They also are nice and short for bedtime reading!

[cnf2013]

I have a blow up ball pit stowed away for a birthday present already. No idea what else we'll get her. For Christmas we're planning to get her one of those radio flyer mini trikes. Not sure what else. Clearly not a lot of thought yet from me.

[physiomeg]

We found the vtech farmhouse on mega sale, so that's put away for either birthday or Christmas. I'm also getting her a princess tent and tunnel set to drawl around in (doubles as a ball pit). The only other big thing I might get would be a little tykes picnic table for the basement (soon to be playroom).

There's a huge consignment sale coming up in our city in September. I plan to pick up some odds and ends from there. I may also get her a piece of jewelry (earrings or a bracelet) as a keepsake for her first birthday.

I love giving gifts and don't tend to shop much during the year, so I know I'll go overboard!

[Deleted]

Oh I am thankful for this thread. I haven't even thought about gifts. And I never know what kinds of things kids should play with at what age that helps with whatever development. Honestly, having a kid with a birthday so close to Christmas was my worst fear. H's birthday is the day before and I ALWAYS combine his presents which I know is the exact wrong thing to do. I think we will just focus on having a fun birthday themed party and take the obscurereference approach! FS2's 3rd birthday is in September and all I've got so far is that I want to rent a little train for the kids to ride around in.

[byjove]

I have really not thought about this! It will be small.

[spidermonkeymama]

Um I probably won't get C anything for her birthday and maybe rewrap something for the holidays. That is-- unless I find a good deal. My big kid-- that's another story. I don't know or have any ideas about her.

[geners]

Does anyone have ideas for some type of birthday gift that can become a tradition? I'm big on tradition. I know I want MH and I to take his birthday off work every year and do something special with him the day of. I like the idea of having a specific gift that he gets every year, too. Like for Christmas we want to do a new book that he opens and we read together, and a new pair of pajamas for him to wear that night, every Christmas Eve as the only presents he's allowed to open the night before..

[HelgaHuffle]

Aug 9, 2016 16:31:24 GMT -5 geners said:

Does anyone have ideas for some type of birthday gift that can become a tradition? I'm big on tradition. I know I want MH and I to take his birthday off work every year and do something special with him the day of. I like the idea of having a specific gift that he gets every year, too. Like for Christmas we want to do a new book that he opens and we read together, and a new pair of pajamas for him to wear that night, every Christmas Eve as the only presents he's allowed to open the night before..

What about a certain book series? You could get him a new one every year.

[HelgaHuffle]

I just can't think of any 'big' gifts that we don't already have. He will definitely get books and little things for both. That might have to be enough this year. I always have a problem feeling like I'm getting enough stuff, but I need to get over it.

We might get F a kids Fire tablet. I try to limit screen time (try being the key word there) so I still feel iffy on it. He could watch stuff on it and R wouldn't be getting screen time too, right? That's a plus. I think they have a nifty timer on them too.

ETA: I probably need to go to Toys r Us kid free one day and just look around. Like obscurereference said.

[enigmaticdrscully]

Aug 9, 2016 17:40:14 GMT -5 HelgaHuffle said:

We might get F a kids Fire tablet. I try to limit screen time (try being the key word there) so I still feel iffy on it. He could watch stuff on it and R wouldn't be getting screen time to, right? That's a plus. I think they have a nifty timer on them too.

ETA: I probably need to go to Toys r Us kid free one day and just look around. Like obscurereference said.

Definite plus. We don't do TV before 2 years, so for my 3.5 year old, the kindle is the only screen time she gets unless DD2 is napping, which is still a crapshoot.

[RoLoMa]

We are going to get him a PBK Anywhere Chair for his 1st birthday. It is a bit of a tradition for our family to do that as a 1st bday gift. I'm just trying to figure out what slipcover I want.

For Christmas we'll do pjs for Christmas Eve but I don't know what else. I think we'll follow the 4 gifts rule; something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.

[Unknown]

I shop sales all year. I've gotten lots of books, wooden blocks, and bath toys.

We have lots of stuff already because of DD#1

[mrspotatohead91]

Aug 9, 2016 7:54:38 GMT -5 expatmama11 said:

Not sure on Christmas but for birthday I am buying Cam a Radio Flyer foldable wagon. I may get him a few other things just to let him have fun ripping paper but the wagon is expensive so I don't want to go too crazy.

Same here! Plus some cute shoes that I can only justify because it's his birthday!

[carsaidyes]

Not sure how ill divide it all up but we are getting R a wagon, this tricycle thing with a handle for us to push him, clothes, trying to not go over board with small toys because Christmas and bday are so close together.

[beaglemom2011]

I don't know what I'll be getting Olivia this year for her birthday or Christmas. I might get girly toys because we don't have any. My parents are getting my old dollhouse for her, so maybe dolls? DS got an IKEA play kitchen at his second Christmas when he was 16 months and he loved opening the doors and pushing buttons. Still uses it too. Maybe Olivia will get into that and we can buy new food and dishes. Her grandma gets the kids PBK anywhere chairs.

[COCO]

geners my mom purchases each of my children a collectible silver dollar for their birthday. We are not coin collectors but my stepdad was. My mom has maintained the collection since his passing. It's probably 30-40 years old. She plans to give the collection to my children. It's something we will be able to learn about together. I hope they will keep it going with their children as a way to remember their grandparents, but if not the collection is worth $ that will hopefully be put toward college or house.

[geners]

Aug 15, 2016 13:24:53 GMT -5 COCO said:

geners my mom purchases each of my children a collectible silver dollar for their birthday. We are not coin collectors but my stepdad was. My mom has maintained the collection since his passing. It's probably 30-40 years old. She plans to give the collection to my children. It's something we will be able to learn about together. I hope they will keep it going with their children as a way to remember their grandparents, but if not the collection is worth $ that will hopefully be put toward college or house.

What a cool idea! MH was thinking baseball cards because that's something he collected as a child. But all I can think is how every time we see FIL, he bugs MH to come pick up the numerous boxes of old baseball cards still sitting in his attic... and what if C isn't into baseball. The coin idea is a neat one. Thanks!

[HelgaHuffle]

We might get R a wheelie bug, but we'll have to get F one too. F has a Little Tykes pillow racer at my mom's and he loves it so much. I would get R one of those but apparently they don't make them anymore. We found F's for $5 at a yard sale.

[gdaisy09]

Aug 15, 2016 15:09:52 GMT -5 geners said:

Aug 15, 2016 13:24:53 GMT -5 COCO said:

geners my mom purchases each of my children a collectible silver dollar for their birthday. We are not coin collectors but my stepdad was. My mom has maintained the collection since his passing. It's probably 30-40 years old. She plans to give the collection to my children. It's something we will be able to learn about together. I hope they will keep it going with their children as a way to remember their grandparents, but if not the collection is worth $ that will hopefully be put toward college or house.

What a cool idea! MH was thinking baseball cards because that's something he collected as a child. But all I can think is how every time we see FIL, he bugs MH to come pick up the numerous boxes of old baseball cards still sitting in his attic... and what if C isn't into baseball. The coin idea is a neat one. Thanks!

my grandfather is also into giving coins for significant occasions, usually silver dollars; graduations, weddings, confirmations, etc. he gave one to Izzy right after she was born. 

[thatgirlrachel]

For those of you getting wagons, are getting a classic Radio Flyer type wagon, or like a Little Tikes wagon with seats, canopy, etc.?